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Oza
Oza (EV 2532 - EC 33) was the first King of Iphazia, ruling from EC 1-33. Early Life Oza and his younger brother Soffa were the sons of the Urnican shaman Nexical. Oza spent his youth in the Urnican stronghold of Pazarath, where he underwent shamanic training with the aim of eventually taking his father's place as ruler of the tribe. However, the elementalist theology practised by shamans did not sit well with Oza. At the age of 18 Oza abandoned the training after his discovery of the Stellan gods, following sermons he heard from Tubian missionaries visiting Pazarath. Nexical perceived Oza's conversion as a betrayal and disinherited him. Soffa began shamanic training in his place, while Oza departed Pazarath with the Tubians. Exile Oza departed Pazarath in EV 2550, and spent the next three years touring the holy sites of the Tubian Empire. Following a vision of his father's murder experienced at the temple of Oron in Gomux, Oza resolved to return home. Homecoming and Exodus Oza returned in EV 2553 to find that a war had broken out between the Urnicans and Votics. His vision had unfortunately been accurate: Nexical had been assassinated by the Votics in a vie for power. The ruthless Votic shaman, Vyricus, was bent on achieving domination of the entire region. Soffa had taken command of the Urnicans, but did not command the respect of all the elders. The fragmented tribe still held Pazarath, but its fall seemed imminent. And to make matters worse, Nylor attacks on the Urnicans had intensified, so capable fighters from the Urnican villages were occupied in defending their homes, unable to come to Soffa's aid in Pazarath. When Oza arrived, Soffa begged his elder borther to help. While Oza inspected the defences he received another vision: an exodus from Pazarath to a hill north of Vot. He convinced Soffa and the elders, so the Urnicans departed, heading northeast. They passed through the territory of the unexpecting Votics and arrived at the hill Oza has seen in his vision. There they built a fortress, which they named Horngard. Shortly after, the Votics captured the abandoned Pazarath. But on the third night following the capture, the town was overrun by a massive contingent of Nylor, resulting in many thousands of Votic casualities. When news of the Nylor attack reached the Urnicans, Oza was praised for preventing the slaugther of his kin, and heralded as a hero. From EV 2553 to EV 2555 the structure of rule among the Urnicans began to change. While Soffa remained the ceremonial head of the tribe, exercising his shamanic powers where ceremony demanded, increasingly the Urnicans turned to Oza for leadership. Following the arrival at Horngard, Oza was awarded the title of 'Protector', given ultimate control of military matters - which for the most part involved defending against assaults by Nylor. The Battle of Two Tribes Following the massacre at Pazarath (and subsequent retreat), Vyricus had lost a lot of respect among the Votics, with many elders suggesting that peace be saught with the Urnicans. Blinded by pride, and anger at his own humiliation and loss, Vyricus instead vowed to destroy the Urnicans completely with the capture of Horngard. After rounding up and executing his more outspoken critics in Vot, he gathered a huge army and headed north. As well as taking warriors, he ordered that their wives and children be brought also, making it all too clear what the price of failure would be for his men. The Votics laid siege to Horngard in the spring of EV 2555, but did not attempt a direct assault. Vyricus knew that the Urnican supplies could not last for more than a month, so bided his time. Meanwhile, many elders among the Urnicans pleaded with Oza to sally out and attack the Votics before they grew any weaker from hunger and malnutrition. Oza was torn: such a response would most likely result in defeat - but if it was the only chance of victory, surely he should take it? Oza's answer came in the form of another vision. This time he saw a divine figure, who told him she was the angel Iphazia. According to Oza's account, she said: "You shall find a moment, where with all your mortal soul you know it right to act. Trust in this revelation and your people will experience a lasting greatness that will endure through the ages. But act rashly, or not at all, and your kin will be doomed to diminish into the night." Oza decided to wait. Many Urnican elders, as well as Soffa, pleaded with him to attack the Votics - but he held firm. After seven days, the main Votic army broke off the siege. Oza's scouts reported that they had sufferred heavy losses to Nylor assaults, and had pulled back to defend their main encampment. Cedrus, a captured Votic warrior, revealled that a fight had then broken out among the besiegers: those loyal to Vyricus - who was insisting on maintianing the siege - against those that wanted to defend the civilians at the encampment. The latter were victorious, and Vyricus was slain. It was clear that the remaining Votics stood little chance against the Nylor, given the vast numbers Oza's scouts were reporting. The Votic tribe was on the brink of extinction - the Urnicans rejoiced in their victory. But to the surprise of the Urnicans, Oza gathered his warriors for a rescue mission. They were to head to the Votic camp, defend them from the Nylor, and return with the survivors to Horngard. Many of the elders were outraged - why would Urnicans risk their lives for the sake of their enemies? Oza stood up on the citadel and said to his kinsmen: "Three warriors enter a brawl with one another. The weakest is knocked to the ground by the strongest, who prepares to make the killing blow. Does the remaining warrior rejoice? Does he call this moment victory?" One of the elders answered, "The third warrior should not rejoice, he should prepare for the inevitable showdown." Oza replied: "To be slain in the same manner? No, my friends, he should help his rival to his feet, and with their combined might overcome the stronger warrior. At worse, he goes on to face a showdown with a weaker opponent, but more likely, he has gained an ally." Oza lead the army to the Votic camp, allowing Cedrus and other Votic captives to take arms and join the Urnicans int he fight. The army arrived in the midst of a Nylor attack - had they reached the camp as little as an hour latter the camp would have been overrun. A long, bloody battle ensued, lasting until the rising sun sent the Nylor scurrying into the shadows. The Votics were touched deeply by Oza's heroism, and with their hated leader Vyricus dead and their tribe in tatters, begged him to allow them to join the Urnicans. Had Oza wished, he could have taken the Votics as slaves, but instead he not only allowed them to join the Urnicans, he decreed that he would create a new society in which they would enjoy full citzenship. In recognition of Iphazia's help, Horngard was renamed Iphazion in her honour. By popular decree, Oza was crowned the first King of Iphazia on Midsummer's Day in EV 2555 - at which point the new Age, the Age of Angels commenced. Category:Mortals